At some point in my life I decided that I didn't like cauliflower. Since that point I have spent a good amount of time picking cauliflower out of various dishes at home and at restaurants. What a waste, right? So, last week we decided re-invite cauliflower into our lives by camouflaging it in a quiche. This was another one of Rachael Ray's ideas, and with hearing that Michael had never had a quiche before (doubtful, but that's his story) we gave it a whirl. Quiche, it's what's for dinner.
I learned something about using cauliflower, allowing it to roast for a few minutes before you get started with it, will make it softer and easier to work with. Of course, I do this with other vegetables, like sliced eggplant, but it had never occurred me to try the strategy on cauliflower. So after a quick bath in olive oil and a few minutes in the oven, the cauliflower was ready to join the egg and cheese party. What made this party all the more fun is that cottage cheese was invited instead of a more traditional cheddar or Swiss.
Further, instead of a flaky pie crust, this quiche featured a paste of breadcrumbs with garlic pressed into place with a layer of cauliflower above to catch egg mixture as it distributed through the pie plate. I wanted to make a side dish with some crunch and did not have any green vegetables on hand. So I tossed some sliced yellow squash in oil and rolled it in the extra breadcrumbs with garlic, laid them out onto a baking sheet and threw them in the oven alongside the main dish. The quiche cooked quickly and we were able to slice it just a few moments after we pulled it and the squash from the oven.
It was for dinner and it was delicious. Our initial iteration got me thinking about permeable foundations. The next time we make the dish, we will add some sausage to give it some more flavor, but we also look forward to experimenting with broccoli and other vegetables. Think about it (architecturally). The breadcrumb and cauliflower caught the majority of the liquid, but also cured over time to settle further. We found that the leftovers were more delicious than our first servings.
Further, instead of a flaky pie crust, this quiche featured a paste of breadcrumbs with garlic pressed into place with a layer of cauliflower above to catch egg mixture as it distributed through the pie plate. I wanted to make a side dish with some crunch and did not have any green vegetables on hand. So I tossed some sliced yellow squash in oil and rolled it in the extra breadcrumbs with garlic, laid them out onto a baking sheet and threw them in the oven alongside the main dish. The quiche cooked quickly and we were able to slice it just a few moments after we pulled it and the squash from the oven.
It was for dinner and it was delicious. Our initial iteration got me thinking about permeable foundations. The next time we make the dish, we will add some sausage to give it some more flavor, but we also look forward to experimenting with broccoli and other vegetables. Think about it (architecturally). The breadcrumb and cauliflower caught the majority of the liquid, but also cured over time to settle further. We found that the leftovers were more delicious than our first servings.
Ingredients
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees . Grease a 9-inch pie plate. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper and arrange in an even layer. Roast until tender and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and toast until golden, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet and reserve.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the cottage cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan, the parsley and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Spread half of the garlic breadcrumbs in the pie plate and top with the cauliflower. Pour on the egg mixture, gently shaking the plate to settle the mixture; sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parmesan. Bake, rotating halfway through, until set and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
- 1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 2 cups)
- 4 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 5 cloves garlic, 3 thinly sliced and 2 finely chopped
- 1 cup (about 2 ounces) fresh coarse whole wheat breadcrumbs
- 8 eggs
- 3/4 cup cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees . Grease a 9-inch pie plate. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and pepper and arrange in an even layer. Roast until tender and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper, and toast until golden, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet and reserve.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Stir in the cottage cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan, the parsley and chopped garlic; season with salt and pepper. Spread half of the garlic breadcrumbs in the pie plate and top with the cauliflower. Pour on the egg mixture, gently shaking the plate to settle the mixture; sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parmesan. Bake, rotating halfway through, until set and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before slicing.
